Playing Cupid's Game
by reindeerqueen
Summary: Jamie's got a little secret...will Danny go too far to figure it out? Hopefully some Protective!Danny in future chapters, Jamie/OC. Rated T just in case for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Lurking inside your house during a blizzard is a recipe for stories. Just add snow, aaannnd instant author. Let me know if you think I should continue with it! **

A giggle was heard from the living room, and an exhausted Danny rounded the corner to find Jamie sitting in a chair with his legs tucked under him and the phone held to his ear. Being the perceptive detective that he was, Danny noticed that he had tugged his bottom lip beneath a few of his top teeth. Jamie's eyes were downcast, and he was fiddling with some loose fibers of green fabric on the arm of the chair. Not wanting to start teasing him just yet, Danny settled on leaning against the doorway and folding his arms across his chest, taking in the scene before him, smirking. Whoever this girl was, she was pretty good at making his younger brother turn into a mushy mess.

"Okay…yep…sure…see ya." Jamie said quietly into the phone before hanging up, taking an extra moment to gaze longingly at the receiver. _Cute_, thought Danny.

"Soooo who was thaaat?" Danny drawled, making Jamie jump and blush.

"Nobody."

"Sounded like it was _somebody._" Danny implied, raising one eyebrow.

Jamie looked at the carpet.

"Ooh so it _is _somebody. Come on kid, spill." Danny urged impatiently.

"None of your business." Jamie told him firmly.

"I'm gonna find out, little brother. You just wait."

"Danny please, don't. It's private—I don't need you sticking your nose around." Jamie pleaded, getting up from the chair and brushing past his older brother.

"Can't tell me what to do." Danny muttered under his breath.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I promised myself I would save this chapter for Valentine's Day…that worked. I just didn't want to keep anyone waiting. Anyways, thanks for all the support, you guys are great! **

Danny sat in his car, watching the pier where he had overheard Jamie saying he was going to meet this mystery girl. The sun had begun to set, casting an orange glow over everything, and then suddenly Jamie appeared, strolling down the boardwalk. He stopped and leaned over the railing, the last rays of light illuminating his face as he stared off at the distant cargo ships over on the Jersey shore with their loads of little Lego bricks. Danny chewed on a nail, waiting. What happened next was definitely not what he was expecting.

A slightly taller man approached Jamie, setting a hand on his shoulder. Jamie seemed slightly startled, but he calmed down when he turned and saw who it was. With a gasp, Danny's hand flew to his mouth as the man brought their lips together. But surprise soon turned to anger and Danny got out of the car, slamming the door behind him and taking double strides towards the couple. They still had their tongues down each other's throats, goddamnit, when Danny reached them and pulled them apart, shoving the man away from his little brother.

"Danny! What the hell are you doing here?!" Jamie yelled, earning the attention of a few people passing by.

"The real question is what are _you _doing here and why with _him_ and why does he have HIS TONGUE SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT?!" Danny screamed, causing a few seagulls to flutter away desperately. The detective stood there, nostrils flaring and his face a very interesting shade of red.

"I'm sorry, but is there some issue between you two? Because I can just leave…" The man stuttered, backing up, obviously terrified of Danny. Good. He better be.

"No, it's okay, don't go, my brother just-"

"Yes, stay. I am very interested in an explanation for this." Danny growled, motioning between the two of them.

Jamie's _acquaintance _shuffled carefully back to his side, giving Danny a wide berth as he passed by. Danny placed his hands on his hips and fixed the pair with a disapproving glare.

"Go on."

They looked at each other, and then back to Danny. Jamie blinked owlishly, unsure of how to start.

"Well, we met when a few of my friends introduced us, and we really hit it off. After that, I saw him a few other times, and something…just…sparked." Jamie explained, flushing when the man snaked an arm around his waist, pulling him towards him.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Mark." The man said, extending a hand to Danny, who looked at it as though it was covered in slime, and then shook it reluctantly.

"You'd better be gentle with him, because if you even _scratch him_ I will have your head." Danny warned, the look on his face enough to make anyone think twice.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Jamie's lover smiled, placing a small kiss on the top of Jamie's head. The rookie officer turned a very cute pink.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: A thousand apologies for not being able to update any sooner. Thanks for being patient, you guys. **** It was inevitable that I was going to add in some Jamie whump…my twisted mind just works like that.**

**Disclaimer: All lyrics of **_**Because of You **_**belong to Kelly Clarkson (in italics).**

Danny saw the bruises. He saw the red scratches that were hidden under long sleeves, the shifty look in his younger brother's eyes when he saw him gazing too long at them. He noticed how the rookie flinched when he would give him a friendly punch in the arm, and Jamie thought that Danny wasn't looking when he rubbed his arm a few minutes later.

It was disconcerting to see his normally composed brother burrowing down deep into himself, and barely offering any conversation at their Sunday dinners. He would seem distant as he helped to wash the dishes after; like he was intently focused on something just beyond the street that seemed confusing somehow. His face would go blank and his blue eyes would grow cloudy. The water would run, and he would work the sponge over and over in circles on the glossy plates. Erin would gently set her hand on his wrist, and he would turn to look at her apologetically. Like he was sorry. Like he wanted to tell her what was wrong, but couldn't.

_ Because of you, I never stray too far from the sidewalk._

_ Because of you, I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt._

Enough was enough. Danny cornered Jamie in the kitchen, grabbing his arm with enough force to make the smaller man squeak. He saw fear in his eyes. Plain, pure, unadulterated fear. Yanking Jamie's sleeve up to his shoulder, Danny gasped. His entire arm was marred with bruises and scrapes, purple and blue and red.

"Take off your shirt. _Now._" Danny growled quietly. Something was wrong.

With trembling hands, Jamie gingerly pulled off his shirt, and what Danny saw had him steadying himself on the counter. Jamie's pale torso was covered with brutal, painful looking markings. They looked like they were inflicted in fits of rage, some angry colors reflecting the hatred that caused them. Jamie met Danny's gaze, his eyes saying, "_I'm sorry. So, so sorry. So sorry."_

_Because of you, I am afraid._

"That son of a bitch." Danny whispered, a dangerous concoction of fury and determination coiling in his muscles.

"Danny—I—it's not what you think." Jamie choked out, watching his brother warily.

"I think it's exactly what it looks like." Danny says flatly, his chest rising and falling quickly.

"God Danny, don't hurt him." Jamie pleaded, slipping his shirt back on.

"Don't worry. I gotta figure out what to do with him first."

"Danny…"

"_Fuck. _I knew something was screwy when I met him." Danny slammed his fist down on the counter, blaming himself for not interfering when he had first seen the signs.

"Why kid? Why? How could you let him do this to you?" Danny asked him, tears threatening to fall.

"It—you don't understand."

"Like hell I don't. And I'm gonna get some answers."

Danny grabbed his coat and went outside, slamming the door behind him, making Jamie jump. He prayed that his older brother wouldn't get too carried away,

BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB

_My heart can't possibly break_

_ When it wasn't even whole to start with._

The early spring air meandered between the gravestones, caressing the worn and tired stone, whispering sweet nothings to the dead. The new was being born in a place that held death and sorrow, an ironic change. Cherry blossoms blushed as they opened their soft pink petals, and green grass curiously poked through the thawing ground. And then there was Jamie Reagan, sitting cross-legged in front of his brother's grave for one of their long talks.

"Danny just doesn't get it. I love him." Jamie sighed.

_Have you told him that?_

"Yeah. But he won't believe me."

_He only wants to protect you._

"I know but sometimes I wish he would mind his own business."

_Danny thinks that any family is his business. It's how he thinks._

"Well I can take care of myself. I am a trained police officer."

_That doesn't mean you're invincible. Take me for example._

"Joe, don't say that." Jamie muttered, plucking at the shoots of grass at his feet.

_It's true. Please Jamie, make the right choice. I don't like seeing you get hurt._

"I'm sorry, but I'm not quite sure what the right choice is." Jamie admitted.

There was no reply. Of course there wasn't. There couldn't be when even he himself didn't know the answer.

_Because of you_

_ I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty._

**A/N: Uh-oh. Confrontation. Oh god what kind of a mess have I written myself into?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry I took way too long thinking about what to do with this story. Many thanks for staying with it! **

Danny had had it. The next time he saw this guy, they were gonna have a little one on one time. Nobody hurt his little brother, no matter how much said brother insisted it was because of _love. _That disgusted Danny, but amazed him at the same time. That someone could be blind to the abuse and see straight through it and only notice the best in the person. Jamie's warning ran circles in his head: _"Don't do anything stupid, Danny"_.

He wasn't going to be stupid about it. This was probably the smartest thing he had ever done. Danny had snuck a look at Mark's address from Jamie's phone. It wasn't too far from where they lived, the bastard. Once he had jotted the address down on the trembling palm of his hand, Danny jogged outside to his car, adrenaline filling his veins. He yanked the car into reverse and just missed the garbage cans at the end of the driveway. Like he gave a shit. Right now, he had only one thing on his mind. As Danny neared the condo building where the guy lived, he slowed down as to not cause any surprise. He pulled into the driveway carefully and took his time getting out of the car. He forced himself to walk slowly, _slowly, _up to the door. He could feel his pulse struggling against his neck, ready to kill this guy. He really was. If murder was legal, he would have already buried this asshole. Danny jammed his finger into the doorbell like he could press it right through the wall.

When the door opened, Danny pushed it open the rest of the way and didn't even think about what he was doing. He just took the nearest body and slammed it into the wall. All he could see was red and black and nothing else. When he could finally see straight, he saw that he had the right person. He grinned like a psycho when he realized how terrified his victim was. How delicious. Maybe now he would feel the fear that Jamie must have felt when he was under the power of his abuse.

"You feel that? That _helplessness?_ That's what my little brother feels whenever you do _this—"_ Danny caught him with a punch on the side of his face.

_"Or this—" _Danny didn't give him time to recover before he twisted the jerk's arms behind his back and kicked him to the floor.

"Y-You don't understand—" Danny let his fury take over as he delivered several brutal kicks to his side as he curled in on himself.

"Don't you dare tell me I don't understand. I understand that you're hurting Jamie, and that's all I care about. He may not see the evil in you, but I do. You're lucky his mind is so unadulterated that he only sees what little good you've got. But me, I've seen enough perps in my life to know when people are truly rotten _to the core._ Don't think I leave that judgment at the precinct."

The scared son of a bitch didn't answer. Danny brought his leg back like he was readying for another kick, and the guy was startled back into his fetal position. Good. Danny had him under his thumb, and could squash him if he wanted to.

"Please—"

"_What?_" Danny decided to let him speak.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry. Sometimes we fight and it gets out of hand and we just go at each other like animals…I'm sorry. You're right. So, so, so sorry."

"Tell that to Jamie. I'd better not see you around him anymore, or you're in for it."

Mark lay there, confused, for a moment.

"Hasn't Jamie told you? He'll want me around for a little while longer."

"Whadaya mean?" Danny had had enough of this shit.

"Go ask _him._"

Danny left as fast as he came.

**A/N: CLIFF HANGER AW YEAH. Hate me yet? ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Oh my god so sorry for being nonexistent for the past few months…I guess between the end of school and trying to finish my summer work before I leave for Australia and having writer's block it's been difficult. Love you guys **

Danny found Jamie sitting on their old swing set in the backyard, his shoes kicking the dirt exposed from years of little feet pushing into the sky. The wood creaked sadly from the strain the young Reagan was putting on its beams. Danny took a deep breath before opening the sliding door and stepping out into the quiet, heavy dusk air that was a characteristic of summer nights in New York. Jamie didn't look up when he heard his older brother approaching, and seemed to crawl even deeper into himself, into his mind.

Without saying a word, Danny sat down on the swing opposite Jamie. It made him remember the happy summers of his youth, and the winters where they would jump off the swings into the piles of snow. But now they were adults, adults in their dark suits and shitty places to be and obnoxious people to deal with. It was an ironic contrast of innocence and loss thereof.

_"Jamie."_

Jamie turned to his older brother. His face held an expression as if he had been exiled to the backyard for the rest of his life. When he spoke, it was hushed, like the slightest breath of air would send them crashing to the ground.

_"Danny, what did you do?"_

_ "Look…I talked to him. You should be safer now."_

_ "If you hurt him…"_

_ "We had a nice friendly chat kid, no worries."_

Danny knew there was no use in getting the kid too flustered.

They let the breeze speak for them as it rustled through the trees.

_"Danny."_

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "God, I don't know how to say this…"_

_ "Say what? Thank you?"_

_ "No—well, yes, but also—Danny…" _Jamie looked up at the pink and purple sky, catching his bottom lip beneath his teeth.

_"Jamie? What is it?"_ Danny had no idea what in hell to expect.

Slowly, very slowly, Jamie reached over and took Danny's wrist, brining his hand over to where he was sitting. He placed the large hand over his stomach and watched a flurry of emotions pass over Danny's face. Jamie let go and let the unspoken words sink in as Danny settled on a mixture of confusion and terror.

_"Kid?"_

_ "Danny…help me."_ Jamie pleaded softly.

**A/N: Is this okay? Like, do you guys mind if I do this? This was kinda part of the problem with updating, 'cause I didn't know where I was running to with this story. I want to make sure you guys are happy and not like weirded out, if ya know what I mean.**


	6. Chapter 6

The Reagan family was sitting around a Sunday dinner of meatloaf, all dreading the prospect of Monday and none of them prepared for what Jamie was about to blurt out.

"Mark and I are expecting." There was an inquisitive silence. Linda was the first to break it.

"That's great. Are you using a surrogate or are you adopting?" She asked, a smile on her face.

"Um—no—a—actually, I'm—uh—the—well—_bearer._" A chorus of utensils clattering on plates and choked off noises followed. Danny just nervously shoved green beans into his mouth and tried not to make eye contact.

"Jack, what does Uncle Jamie mean? I don't get it." Sean asked his older brother, tugging at his sleeve.

"Uh—I really don't…"

"Jamie if this is your way of giving me a heart attack, it's one hell of a way of doing so." Henry said angrily, jabbing his knife in Jamie's direction.

"Son, what do you mean? Are you serious?" Frank asked warily.

"Wha—Jamie—what are you _talking about?_ We're not that dumb!" Erin screeched, as any older sister would.

"I'm telling the—"

"Wait a minute…Danny, did you know about this?" Erin accused the detective.

"I thought he might wanna tell you guys himself!" Danny said defensively, throwing down his napkin.

"Ugh! Nobody ever tells me anything anymore!" Erin complained.

"You guys, I'm not kidding. It's one hundred percent true, I swear." Jamie told the table, twisting the edge of the tablecloth in his hands.

"Congratulations, Uncle Jamie." A voice from the end of the table piped up. It was Nikki. Jamie nodded. Erin sighed and took her daughter's lead.

"I'm sorry Jamie. That's wonderful." Erin apologized, taking his hand and squeezing it.

Frank and Henry sat in confused silence, still not wanting to accept the news. When Jamie turned to his father, Frank offered a tight lipped smile to the boy, but said nothing more. He needed to get this sorted out in his head first.

BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB ~~ BB

Linda approached Jamie after the meal, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"As you know, I'm a nurse, so if there's anything you need—anything I can help with—don't hesitate to call." She offered before pulling him into a warm hug.

"Thanks—for not, you know, freaking out." Jamie muttered, blushing.

"Oh honey. It's gonna be okay, they're just too damn stubborn to see past all this and realize that there's gonna be another beautiful Reagan in the family. Give it time." Linda reassured him.

"I know, they've always been like that." Jamie acknowledged.

"How far along are you?" Linda asked, eyes dropping quickly to his middle.

"Oh—um—about a month or so." Jamie told her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Keep me posted." Linda said.

Jamie nodded and the pair embraced, and Jamie finally allowed himself to cry. Linda rubbed calming circles on his lower back as she held the shaking rookie. Not another word was spoken between them as everyone went their separate ways.

**A/N: *looks around nervously***


End file.
